Rick Wrona – 1993 Stadium Club

January 6, 2011

A. Say what you want about Duran Duran, but this is a hella-funky song. Isolate on the guitars, bass and drums (all Taylors, none related) and see how they really dig in and get a groove going.

B. Wrona is the only player to make the big leagues whose name began with “Wro”.

C. Maj. Richard A. Wrona is a Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. This ain’t him.

D. In 1992, when this photo was snapped, Wrona played in 11 games for the Reds and 40 games for Nashville. For that, he was paid over $100,000. Nice work if you can get it!

E. His last major league game in 1994 was quite memorable. He was catching for the Brewers as they played host to the Twins. In a 13-inning thriller, Wrona went 3-4 with three doubles, a walk, and a sacrifice. He didn’t score any runs, though and had just one RBI. The Twins won 6-5 in 13 as the Twins couldn’t stop Wrona, but they did contain him. The Twins trotted out the army against him in that effort. Eddie Guardado started, and then came Mike Trombley, Kevin Campbell, Erik Schullstrom, Mark Guthrie and Rick Aguilera, who as the CLOSER pitched 2 1/3 for the win. Mike Fetters blew a 2-run lead in the ninth and Jamie Navarro got the loss. (SHOCK! Navarro with the loss!)

F. He never played 100 games in a season for a team until his final stop, in 1998, for the Oklahoma Redhawks, where he played an even 100.

G. His lifetime minor league BA was .239 and from what data they have, his lifetime minor league OBP was .272. See, this is why it’s good to be a member in good standing of the Backup Catchers’ Union.

H. He’s been everywhere. He played for Winston-Salem, Peoria, Pittsfield, Iowa, Tulsa, Nashville, New Orleans, Indianapolis, Buffalo, Louisville, Scranton / Wilkes-Barre, Birmingham, and Oklahoma City in the minors, and the Cubs, Reds, White Sox and Brewers in the majors.

I. Wouldn’t you rather be on a card like this, or one like Carl Nichols where you’re just scowling?